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Principals Groups Celebrate Assistant Principals Week, April 13-17

April 10th, 2015

Reston, Va. — The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators have declared the week of April 13-17, 2015 as National Assistant Principals Week to honor and recognize the contributions of assistant principals to the success of students in schools across the United States. The week will include recognition of the state assistant principals of the year and national finalists, who will visit Capitol Hill to discuss ESEA reauthorization with their elected officials.

“Assistant principals play a vital role in the positive strides that students in our nation’s schools make every day, and this week is about officially honoring and celebrating them for their dedication to that challenging role,” said NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti. “We have a variety of activities planned to highlight assistant principals this week, and we hope all members of the school community find ways to celebrate the wonderful assistant principals in their own school.”

“This week we congratulate and celebrate assistant principals for their steadfast commitment to our nation’s children,” said NAESP Executive Director, Gail Connelly. “Often times these individuals are the unsung heroes in our schools, and NAESP is pleased that during this week, we can all reflect and call attention to the critical role assistant principals play in supporting school and student performance.”

"This week is an excellent time to pause and recognize the tremendous hard work and commitment assistant principals put into our school communities each day,” said AFSA President Diann Woodard. “AFSA is proud to commemorate these significant individuals and applaud them for their immeasurable contributions to education.”

NASSP will host all of the 2015 State Assistant Principals of the Year and the national finalists for the Assistant Principals Institute in Washington, DC. During the forum, assistant principals will visit Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress to discuss the challenges facing school leaders today--especially important while Congress debates ESEA authorization--and participate in a variety of professional development and networking opportunities with their peers.

Other planned activities include a special Twitter #APchat moderated by 2014 National Assistant Principal of the Year Courtney Voshell and 2014 state winners Jared Wastler (MD) and Lisa Rettler (WI); and a Google Hangout that discusses the development of assistant principals as part of the Wallace Foundation Principal Pipeline Initiative.

The principals organizations are also offering free e-cards so that principals, teachers, students, and parents can send a note of gratitude to their assistant principal.

For more information or for ideas on how principals, assistant principals, teachers, students, and parents can celebrate AP Week in their own schools and communities, visit www.nassp.org/apweek.